Last Updated:September 24, 2026
Supervised by Toko Gould (Immigration Consultant)
What is the Health Talent Pathway?
The Health Talent Pathway is a category created to address the severe shortage of health care workers in Saskatchewan and to strengthen the province’s health care system. It is intended for health care workers who hold a job offer in a skilled or intermediate-skilled occupation from a health care facility or other employer in the province. This stream sets flexible requirements tailored to the health sector, and opens a path to permanent residence for a broader range of health-related occupations than the standard skilled worker categories.
Health Talent Pathway eligibility requirements (Non-Express Entry)
This route is for individuals living outside Canada or holding legal status in Canada (refugee claimants excluded). In 2026, the health sector is designated a priority sector and is allocated more than 50% of the provincial nomination spaces, which makes the conditions highly favourable.
Job offer requirements
- You must hold a job offer for permanent, full-time employment from an employer in Saskatchewan’s health care sector.
- The employer must be registered with the SINP and hold a valid Employer Position Assessment (EPA) obtained for the position.
Work experience
- If you are applying from within Saskatchewan: you must currently have at least 6 months (780 hours) of full-time work experience with the current employer that issued the Employer Position Assessment (EPA).
- In all other cases: you must have at least one year of work experience in total in the occupation you intend to apply under, gained within the past 5 years.
Eligible occupations (NOC list)
The health-related occupations listed below are eligible. They range from professional occupations such as physicians, nurses and physiotherapists to intermediate-skilled occupations such as dental assistants and nurse aides.
View the list of eligible occupations
21100
Physicists and astronomers (medical setting)
30010
Managers in health care
31102
General practitioners and family physicians
31120
Pharmacists
31301
Registered nurses
32101
Licensed practical nurses
33102
Nurse aides and orderlies
44101
Home support workers**
**NOC 44101 (home support workers, caregivers and related occupations) is not eligible where the work involves living in the client’s home or workplace.
Language ability
You need a score of CLB 5 or higher on an English or French language test designated by the immigration authorities, taken within 2 years before the date of application. Use the table below to check whether your score corresponds to CLB 5.
| Test | Language | Reading | Writing | Listening | Speaking | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CLB5 | IELTS | English | 4.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| CELPIP | English | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | |
| PTE Core | English | 42-50 | 51-59 | 39-49 | 51-58 | |
| TEF (on or after 2023/12/11) | French | 352-392 | 330-378 | 352-392 | 387-421 | |
| TEF (before) | French | 350-399 | 350-399 | 350-399 | 350-399 | |
| TCF | French | 375-405 | 6.0 | 369-397 | 6.0 |
Education
You must have completed post-secondary education related to the job offered (a master’s or bachelor’s degree, or a degree or diploma from a university, college, technical or vocational institution). For education obtained outside Canada, an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) from a designated organization must be submitted. Depending on the occupation, a Saskatchewan professional licence may also be required.
Health Talent Pathway eligibility requirements (Express Entry)
This route is for individuals whose profile is in the Express Entry pool of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Federal processing is prioritized, and permanent residence can usually be expected within 6 months.
Express Entry requirements
- You must be accepted into IRCC’s Express Entry pool.
- You must hold a valid Express Entry profile number and job seeker code.
Job offer requirements
- You must hold a job offer for permanent, full-time employment from an employer in Saskatchewan’s health care sector.
- The employer must be registered with the SINP and hold a valid Employer Position Assessment (EPA) obtained for the position.
Work experience
You must have at least one year of skilled work experience in total in the occupation you intend to apply under, gained within the past 5 years.
Eligible occupations (NOC list)
Under the Express Entry route, the highly skilled health-related occupations listed below are eligible.
View the list of eligible occupations
21100
Physicists and astronomers (medical setting)
30010
Managers in health care
31100
Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine
31101
Specialists in surgery
31102
General practitioners and family physicians
31120
Pharmacists
31301
Registered nurses
32101
Licensed practical nurses
33102
Nurse aides and orderlies
*Some occupations, such as social workers, can also be applied for under other skilled worker categories.
Language ability
You need a score of CLB 7 or higher on an English or French language test designated by the immigration authorities, taken within 2 years before the date of application. Use the table below to check whether your score corresponds to CLB 7.
| Test | Language | Reading | Writing | Listening | Speaking | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CLB7 | IELTS | English | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 |
| CELPIP | English | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | |
| PTE Core | English | 60-68 | 69-78 | 60-70 | 68-75 | |
| TEF (on or after 2023/12/11) | French | 453-498 | 449-502 | 453-498 | 512-558 | |
| TEF (before) | French | 450-499 | 450-499 | 450-499 | 450-499 | |
| TCF | French | 453-498 | 10-11 | 458-502 | 10-11 |
Education
You must have completed post-secondary education related to the job offered (a master’s or bachelor’s degree, or a degree or diploma from a university, college, technical or vocational institution). For education obtained outside Canada, an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) must be submitted. Depending on the occupation, a Saskatchewan professional licence may also be required.
*For the non-regulated occupations listed below only, a degree or diploma of two years or more in an unrelated field may be accepted.
- NOC 33101 – Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations
- NOC 33102 – Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates
- NOC 33103 – Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants
- NOC 33109 – Other assisting occupations in support of health services
Who cannot apply, and cases that are refused
Who cannot apply under this category
Individuals who have made a refugee claim to the Government of Canada.
Cases in which an application may be refused
- Where not all required documents were submitted with the application.
- Where you cannot demonstrate your intention to live and work in Saskatchewan.
- Where the application or the supporting documents contain false information.
Health Talent Pathway application process
01Obtain a job offer from an employer
Secure a job offer from an employer such as a health care facility in Saskatchewan. When looking for work, Saskjobs.ca and similar job boards can also be useful.
02The employer obtains an Employer Position Assessment (EPA)
The employer registers with the SINP and obtains an Employer Position Assessment for the position. This document is mandatory for the application.
03Prepare and submit the SINP online application
Create an account on the online portal, upload the required documents as PDFs and submit. Missing documents or untranslated documents will cause the application to be returned. Always keep the originals.
04SINP assessment and receipt of the provincial nomination
Once the application passes assessment, Saskatchewan issues a provincial nomination.
05Apply for permanent residence to Canadian immigration authorities
After receiving the nomination, submit a permanent residence application to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Applications under the Express Entry route receive priority processing.
06IRCC assessment and receipt of the CoPR
Once IRCC completes its assessment, you receive the Confirmation of Permanent Residence (CoPR).
07Landing
Applicants from outside Canada complete the landing procedure on entry; applicants inside Canada complete it online.
08Receiving your PR card
A few months after landing, the PR card is delivered to the address you provided.
Free Consultations and Inquiries
Feel free to get in touch!
Immigration Consultant
Toko Gould
Born in Japan. Worked as a registered dietitian in hospitals and other facilities. Moved to Vancouver, Canada in 2001 on a Working Holiday. Later utilized her professional background to obtain a work visa, then Canadian permanent residency as a skilled worker. Studied Oil and Gas Administration at a college in Alberta, then worked at a U.S.-based oil company. Later studied accounting and transitioned into an accounting role.
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